Country Singer Mark Chesnutt Undergoes Emergency Heart Surgery

Mark Chesnutt performs at the BLA showcase during the International Entertainment Buyers Association Conference and Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn., on Oct. 3, 2011. (Rick Diamond/Getty Images of IEBA)

Country singer-songwriter Mark Chesnutt, known for hits such as “Brother Jukebox” and “It Sure Is Monday,” is on the road to recovery after undergoing emergency heart surgery last weekend.

On Tuesday, a statement shared on Mr. Chesnutt’s Instagram page revealed that the 60-year-old singer was admitted to the hospital on the evening of June 16 following a major health scare.

“Mark Chesnutt, one of the most signatured country music voices of the 90s and a honky tonk mainstay for more than three decades, experienced a heart health issue over the weekend that hospitalized him,” the message reads.

“Mark underwent emergency quadruple bypass surgery,” the statement continues. “The recuperation time will make it necessary to cancel show dates. Please respect the privacy of the family during this difficult time of recovery.”

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, heart bypass surgery, also known as coronary artery bypass grafting, is often used to treat coronary artery disease, a common form of heart disease that occurs when fats, cholesterol, and other substances build up on the walls of coronary arteries. This causes the arteries to become clogged or narrow, restricting the flow of oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to the heart.

The open-heart surgical procedure helps to reroute blood in the heart when one or more of the organ’s coronary arteries become blocked. If the arteries contain four blocked areas, then doctors will perform a quadruple bypass surgery. During the procedure, blood vessels are taken from other parts of the body, such as the leg or chest, and attached above and below the blocked area, allowing blood to flow around the clogged portion of the coronary artery.

In a statement included in the social media post, Mr. Chesnutt noted that the decision to cancel his upcoming performances due to the surgery was made “with a heavy heart.” He added, “I send my love and gratitude to my family and friends, the band and fans for your understanding, prayers and support, and look forward to seeing you all again soon at a honky tonk near you.”

The Texas native was scheduled to perform at the Golden Nugget Lake Charles Hotel & Casino’s Grand Event Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana, on June 21, followed by a show at the Live Oak County Fair Grounds & Coliseum in George West, Texas, on June 22. Mr. Chesnutt was also set to appear at Dauphin’s Countryfest—a country music festival in Dauphin in Manitoba, Canada—on June 30.

“Dauphin’s Countryfest is extremely saddened to hear the news that we won’t have Mark Chesnutt grace our stage this summer,” the festival shared via Instagram on Wednesday.

“We continue to send healing vibes to Mark and his family during his recovery,” the statement continued. “Our team is working diligently to secure another act to add to our wonderful Sunday lineup and will make an announcement as soon as we can.”

Mr. Chesnutt released his first album, “Doing My Country Thing,” in 1988, which lead to signing with the Nashville branch of MCA Records. He swiftly rose to fame with his second album two years later, “Too Cold at Home.” Since then, he released over a dozen albums, including 1992’s “Longnecks & Short Stories,” 1993’s “Almost Goodbye,” 2004’s “Savin' the Honky Tonk,” and 2016’s “Tradition Lives.”

Over his three-decade career, Mr. Chesnutt dominated the charts, attaining 14 No. 1 hits and 23 Top 10 singles, per his online biography. Additionally, the country crooner garnered four platinum albums and five gold records and holds the distinction of being one of Billboard’s Ten Most-Played Radio Artists of the ‘90s.

Prior Health Problems

In July 2021, Mr. Chesnutt was forced to put his career on hold after undergoing emergency back surgery due to “severe back pain,” a procedure doctors initially said would only require about 10 weeks of recovery.

“I’ve been suffering with this for a very long time, and postponed as long as I could,” he wrote in a 2021 Instagram post announcing the cancellation of two dozen shows that year. “When the doctor says: ‘you have no choice,’ you have no choice! I hate to get off the road, just as the venues opened back up. I was really looking forward to this year!” he continued. “I appreciate the support and understanding from my fans, and I'll see you all real soon.”

In a video shared to his Instagram page in April 2022, nearly a year after undergoing back surgery, Mr. Chesnutt elaborated on his health problems, revealing his back had been broken in three places.

“We miss being on the road and singing for you all. And hopefully, we'll be back out before the end of the year, once I finish the physical therapy,” he explained. “After we get back in shape together we'll be out there honky-tonking and hitting it again, so thank you for supporting me and hanging in there with me through these hard times.”